The New York Yankees' bullpen has been a rollercoaster ride through mid-May—marked by underperformance, tough breaks, and a lack of clear roles. Yet somehow, this unit ranks fifth in all of baseball in ERA. Thanks to a starting rotation carrying a heavy workload and two unheralded lefties stepping up, the relievers have managed to keep the ship afloat.

Each month, we take a closer look at how manager Aaron Boone is deploying his bullpen arms and assess just how much trust we can place in them moving forward. Here's the May edition of the Yankees Reliever Confidence Index.

Statistics are current as of the morning of May 15.

David Bednar
Season stats: 18 IP, 3.50 ERA, 22 SO, 2.38 FIP, 10 saves (in 11 opportunities)

Bednar might not look like a shutdown closer, but he's getting the job done. In eight games where he's allowed at least one run, only one has resulted in a blown save. He's avoided the big inning, surrendering just one home run, and hasn't walked a batter since April 17—working around base hits while limiting traffic.

His peripherals are arguably the strongest of his career. Opponents swing at pitches outside the strike zone 40% of the time, fueling an elite 57.7% ground-ball rate. With a 2.39 expected ERA, the veteran closer looks right on track.

Camilo Doval
Season stats: 15.2 IP, 10 earned runs

The Yankees don't have a clear set-up man, and Doval's struggles are a big reason why. Handed the role out of camp, he's allowed 10 runs in 15.2 innings. Still, he remains in the mix for late-inning opportunities. May has been better—though far from dominant—with a 3.38 ERA in six outings.

Part of Doval's continued high-leverage usage is his pedigree as a former Giants closer. But his underlying numbers also tell a story: a sparkling 2.86 expected ERA, driven by a minuscule 4.5% walk rate and a knack for keeping the ball on the ground. That gives the coaching staff reason to believe better days are ahead.

Tim Hill
The lefty sidewinder continues to climb the bullpen pecking order. His unorthodox delivery and ability to induce weak contact have made him a reliable weapon in key spots, earning more trust from Boone as the season progresses.

As May rolls on, the Yankees' relief corps remains a work in progress—but with a mix of veteran savvy, underlying talent, and unexpected contributors, this bullpen is finding ways to survive and even thrive.